Franco, STFA in spat over move-over law

Judi Franco, co-host of NJ101.5’s Dennis and Judi show, is once again in a spat with New Jersey law enforcement.

This time, The State Troopers’ Fraternal Association is taking aim at the talk show host over an opinion piece she penned on Tuesday opposing the state’s move-over law, which requires motorists move out of shoulder-adjacent lanes when emergency vehicles are stopped on the side of the road.

“A dead cop is sad,” Franco wrote. “But a horrible tragedy doesn’t warrant a law that puts other drivers at risk and is almost impossible to enforce.”

Franco and her co-host Dennis Malloy were suspended in July after the two repeatedly referred to State Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, who is Sikh, as “turban man” during a segment.

That suspension lasted 10 days.

Her opinion piece was penned in opposition to a proposed expansion of New Jersey’s move-over law. Currently, violation of the law carries a fine of between $100 and $500. The expansion would add two points to that penalty.

“The sad reality in Franco’s hatred of law enforcement is her ignorance to the importance of this public safety principle. Police officers and other first responders, more often than not are dispatched to roadside encounters such as motor vehicle accidents and motorist aids,” said STFA president Wayne Blanchard. “What has clearly gone over Franco’s head in this instance is that she could be one of those motorists assessing damage to her vehicle on the side of the road with an investigating officer or trooper.”

Others later joined in on the feud.

State Sen. Vin Gopal, who is of Indian descent and applauded Franco and Malloy’s suspensions in July, didn’t attempt to pull his punches.

“The lack of common sense and common decency displayed by New Jersey 101.5 host Judi Franco has surpassed even my lowest of expectations,” Gopal said. “To use the loss of a brave State Police Officer as click bait in order to prove her misguided opinions trivializes the tragic death of Marc Castellano. ‘A dead cop is sad,’ is how she trivializes this law – this is disgraceful and disgusting. 101.5 owes all of law enforcement an apology. If this bi-partisan bill saves the life of one law enforcement professional, it is well worth it.